Obscure Players That You Remember

[The Cryptkeeper]

Define "test standard". Because I'm sure we all have different definitions of it.

And bear in mind that if your country doesn't have enough "test standard" players, you can't go out there with half a side. My point from a few pages ago about giving some of these guys a leave pass is that while they wouldn't have played in better teams, they were the best we had at the time, and ultimately, that's all you need to be to get a game.

Better than 33 opening the batting.

Yes, I understand you can only select from what is available. Hence we were a global joke for a decade.

 

[PhatBoy]

Better than 33 opening the batting.

Yes, I understand you can only select from what is available. Hence we were a global joke for a decade.

I think you need to look well beyond raw numbers for someone’s value as a player.

Arguably The best player in the world right now has numbers that make him not even the best all rounder in the world. Does he do a role that helps his team? Absolutely.

 

[Scotland]

We were spoiled for a long time with a ridiculous top 7. Adam Gilchrist averaged under 40 4 of his last 4 years in the test side and still finished with an average of nearly 48. After 50 tests he was averaging 60+ (with a strike rate of 82) and was our #7. Most teams don't have a batsman of that calibre at all, let alone coming in at 7, let alone coming in at 7 after some combination of Slater, Langer, Hayden, Ponting, Martyn, Hussey, Clarke, M Waugh, S Waugh... I mean Hodge played a handful of tests and Simon Katich had to become an opener in his 30s when the others retired to get a regular gig. Daren Lehmann scored 25,000 FC runs and only played 27 tests.

Guys like Tim Paine and Michael Clarke deserve a lot of credit for building winning teams with what they had.

 

[revo333]

We were spoiled for a long time with a ridiculous top 7. Adam Gilchrist averaged under 40 4 of his last 4 years in the test side and still finished with an average of nearly 48. After 50 tests he was averaging 60+

Gilchrist could of finished with an average over 50 if he wanted to but he was very unselfish in his last few years and threw away his wicket numerous times for the benefit of the team.

 

[monty1104]

Gilchrist could of finished with an average over 50 if he wanted to but he was very unselfish in his last few years and threw away his wicket numerous times for the benefit of the team.

So, the exact opposite of MS Dhoni

 

[PhatBoy]

So, the exact opposite of MS Dhoni

Dhoni has made into an even finer art form, what Michael Bevan originally turned into an art form.

Hard to knock a bloke for playing to his strengths.

 

[The Convert]

Wayne Holdsworth.
Skidding quick bowler for NSW. Not sure he ever got a game for Australia.

Watched him bowl in barooga to Shane Lee under some very dodgy lights on the old tooheys 8 a side stuff. After about 3 balls ripping through Lee he obviously got a message and dramaticallycut his speed. Lee carted him everywhere.

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[The Convert]

Robbie was a very handy player for WA, very good bat. I played with him in Grade Cricket, me just starting and him nearly finished.

Justin's uncle.

He should make a comeback. Probably get a game

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[The Convert]

Dave Colley from NSW. Mid 70s maybe, allrounder, pretty handy. Saw him cut a 6 at SCG into Bob Stand way before it became fashionable

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[DaRick]

toured England in 1993 I think without playing a test?

Yep.

Steve Waugh was a big fan.

 

[eth-dog]

Lee Carseldine has returned to Australian Survivor. Three first class tons for the big fella!

 

[BronCrow]

Have a list of international and domestic players

Apologies in advance to any named that have already been listed

International

Robbie Kerr
Blair Pocock
Willie Watson
Murphy Su'a
Wayne Phillips (Vic)
Adrian Kuiper
Andrew Hudson
Shayne O'Connor
Geoff Allott
Brad Young
Martin Bicknell
Neil Foster
Mahendra Nagamootoo
Matthew Maynard
Shaun Young
Glenn Bishop

Domestic

Paul Nobes
Matthew Minigall
Peter Gladigau
Joe Scuderi
Darren Webber
Trevor Barsby
Mark Lavender
Neil Maxwell
Rohan Larkin
Adam Kimber
Nathan Adcock
Phil Alley
Mark Harrity
Shane George

 

[thejockey]

Yep.

Steve Waugh was a big fan.

Got a hat trick in a tour game , was still bowling decent rockets in his late 30s - 40

 

[DAlembert]

Steve Milosz was pretty obscure. The only guy I know who team management requested the rest of the players to stay away from on a trip to Rottnest Island...the bugger could drink like a bloody fish and destroy the average drinker. Team management were very concerned. He is probably still killing them at the Morley Tavern.. "Milky was a Beast" He could bowl tho. Took plenty of wickets with his legspin..not sure he had a wrongun tho...lol

 

[Scotland]

Dhoni has made into an even finer art form, what Michael Bevan originally turned into an art form.

Hard to knock a bloke for playing to his strengths.

Dhoni is the king of the red dot but he also finished not out 47 times in ODIs striking at over 100. Excellent finisher.

 

[RedTinMania]

Dhoni is the king of the red dot but he also finished not out 47 times in ODIs striking at over 100. Excellent finisher.

Peak Dhoni absolutely was an excellent finisher, the best of his era for a while, but those days are gone and he seems to be the last to realise it. The "take it deep" strategy worked when he could still show the power and placement that allowed him to catch up almost at will, but often these days he just can't accelerate in the same way, loses as many games as he wins going with that approach recently.

A world class player, but one who has hung on past his prime

 

[RedTinMania]

Anyway on topic, anyone remember Scott Brant? Actually has the best Shield bowling average (18.45) of any specialist in the last 30odd years, although granted off a small sample size of just 8 games

 

[Scotland]

Gilchrist could of finished with an average over 50 if he wanted to but he was very unselfish in his last few years and threw away his wicket numerous times for the benefit of the team.

Was Gilly really that unselfish towards the end?

I remember he had a stinker of a 2005 Ashes series (wasn't alone) then didn't hit too many heights after that. With the obvious exception of his 102* (59) at the WACA.

 

[Donnie Darko]

Anyone know this guy?
seems to be an obscure player

 

[STFU Donnie]

Dirk Wellham

Absolute garbage cricketer who played 6 Tests in one of our most dire eras.

A bit harsh. He's in a very select group to have made a century on both his first class and test match debuts.

 

[Wallaby]

A bit harsh. He's in a very select group to have made a century on both his first class and test match debuts.

Wellham made a century on his Shield debut. Next game - dropped for a returning Test player - Doug Walters.
Then made a century on test debut against England. It was the last test of the series. First test back in Australia, Wellham got dropped for a player who hadn't toured England - Doug Walters.

 

[DAlembert]

Wellham made a century on his Shield debut. Next game - dropped for a returning Test player - Doug Walters.
Then made a century on test debut against England. It was the last test of the series. First test back in Australia, Wellham got dropped for a player who hadn't toured England - Doug Walters.

Welham had a pretty handy first class career certainly not obscure by any means. Remember running on his arm in a grade game and making it ( I was quick after all lol)and being berated by opposition for showing no respect to a first class player. He did Captain 3 States ...no not obscure.

 

[Borisdog]

Wellham made a century on his Shield debut. Next game - dropped for a returning Test player - Doug Walters.
Then made a century on test debut against England. It was the last test of the series. First test back in Australia, Wellham got dropped for a player who hadn't toured England - Doug Walters.

Not true about being dropped for KDW after his debut test, Doug had finished before the English Tour of '81.

Edit - looks like he was dropped for a bloke called GS Chappell. He wasn't really obscure.

 

[Wallaby]

Ah well - the old memory cells are rapidly dying off. I knew he was probably the only player to be dropped after scoring a first-class debut century and a Test debut century. I knew Dougie was involved somewhere, and my imagination took over from my recall.

Still, Wellham was definitely worth his chance - (you don't make a test 100 purely by luck - even though he WAS dropped on 99) - he just didn't make the most of it. Only a couple of pre-WW1 players got fewer tests after making a century on debut.

 

[Borisdog]

Yeah he was close but not close enough really as a Test standard batsman. The best thing about him getting dropped on 99 was that it was Boycott.

Had a pretty good and durable run in shield cricket playing for nearly everyone in both good and bad times for Aussie cricket.

A fair bit better than obscure for mine.